Neuqua Valley's depth devours Lake Park
The competition that the top two Neuqua Valley singles and doubles teams provide for each other in practice every day could be as strong as anything they're going to face in the Upstate Eight Conference.
On Tuesday the Wildcats remained undefeated with a 7-0 overall record and a 6-0 conference mark by shutting out visiting Lake Park 7-0.
Second-singles Brian Glavin, first-doubles Patrick Carpio and Skeeter Plowman and second-doubles Andy Frandsen and Tyler Wall all went 6-0, 6-0 over the Lancers (6-3, 3-2). And first-singles Michael Baiocchi defeated returning state qualifier Craig Cichowicz 6-2, 6-1.
"We have great depth," Wall said. "Our third and fourth doubles can beat most of the first doubles in our conference."
The most interesting thing about the Wildcats this season is the ongoing battle for the No. 1 spot in both singles and doubles.
Veteran first-doubles Plowman, who with graduated partner Chase Perry, went to the top 12 in state last year, is breaking in a new partner, the talented Carpio, who until this year was exclusively a singles player.
While they're adjusting to the new partnership, the two have been challenged closely by Frandsen and Wall, a state qualifying doubles team, who have gotten the better of them several times in practice.
"We're pretty much even with them," Frandsen said. "Sometimes Scooter and Patrick have better days and sometimes we do. But playing against each other has really helped both teams."
Wall believes that the Wildcats can equal or be better than last year's team, which finished in the top 10 at state, and he points to the significant progress made by the top two singles players, the vastly improved Baiocchi and returning state-qualifier Glavin, as holding the key to the team's fortunes.
"We should get more points at state from our singles players this year," Frandsen said.
One observer who agrees with that assessment is Lake Park coach Tim Martin.
"The one and two singles players are both much better than they were last year," Martin said. "And they were already very good. Glavin went to state last year, he's gotten a lot better and he's still No. 2. In singles and doubles, the job they're doing of pushing each other in challenge matches is really helping this team develop."
"This is a fighting team," said Neuqua Valley coach Trudy Bennorth. "Everyone wants to be No. 1. On the other hand those who are No. 2 understand that the competition is fair and they're accepting their roles. They'll keep fighting through conference, sectionals and hopefully, state."
Bennorth is impressed with how her team has done thus far, and she sees the Wildcats improving down the line. But she will not go as far as saying this team is going to be as good or better than last year's squad.
"Last year was a special team," Bennorth said. "It will be tough to equal or beat last year's team. We do have a lot of talent and depth. And we can promise that we're going to work hard."